How much of a rise has virtual selling made in the recent years?

A 2020 study by the RAIN Group found that pre-pandemic, only 27% of respondents reported conducting more than half of their sales activities virtually. In May 2020, 71% said they were conducting more than half their sales virtually. That’s an increase of 163%.

As more companies and sales teams are transitioning to a remote setting during the pandemic, what other key insights can we gain from this study?

Due to COVID-19, the concept of virtual selling has become increasingly important. In a study by RAIN Group titled “The Pandemic’s Impact on Reason for Missing Sales Goals”, the authors surveyed sales reps, managers and business-to-business executives in May 2020 about how their work had been impacted by COVID-19.

The research showed that nearly all respondents (97%) indicated that their sales process had been affected by the pandemic, with the biggest challenge being “having to manage remote selling of highly complex products.” To succeed in this new environment, sales reps must focus on developing a strong virtual presence while building relationships with customers over distance. This can include using digital tools to reach out as well as actively engaging in social media platforms. The results of this study are valuable in understanding how businesses are adapting to a socially distant world, offering insights into changing sales strategies and practices. This article will discuss the key takeaways of RAIN Group’s survey and the implications it has for the current climate.

RAIN Group’s survey found that businesses have shifted their focus to virtual selling, increasing digital investments and adding automation to their sales processes. These changes were experienced by all sizes of companies, reinforcing the need across the industry to transition from traditional in-person interactions to more remote interactions. It also highlighted that nearly half of decision makers prefer virtual sales as a long-term solution.